Battle for the Soul of ANPP
The internal battle for the control of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) ahead of the 2007 Presidential election blew open last week when the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, and the party's National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet, tested each other's might. Eddy Odivwri, Chuks Okocha and Oke Epia report
The crisis brewing within the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) started when the party's State Chairmen last Monday signed a resolution for the dissolution of the Chief Don Etiebet led National Executive Committee (NEC). The latest crisis, which is literally seen as a battle between the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) and its partner, the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP) then led by Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (rtd), has become a serious battle for more control of the party ahead of the 2007 elections.
THISDAY investigations indeed reveal that although on the surface, it is Bafarawa and Etiebet that are the central characters in the unfolding drama, there are other actors who are interested in how the whole crisis will end because it is all about the future and who takes the party's presidential ticket at the end of the day.
The latest dissolution, had it been successful, would have led to the take-over of the party by the governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa who is from the Northwest zone of the country. Bafarawa, THISDAY investigations reveal, has his eyes on the nation's number one job come 2007 and the calculations as far as he is concerned is that the future starts now hence the attempt to take control of the party.
It was learnt that Bafarawa is positioning himself as a counterpoise to the party's defeated presidential candidate in the 2003 general elections, Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.) who is still interested in running again should his case at the Tribunal end up against him.
The fight between Bafawara and Etiebet, sources confirmed to THISDAY actually started when it became difficult for the former to dictate to the later on how to run the party. It was gathered that Etiebet had been directed by Bafarawa not to support Buhari's case in court in which he is challenging the victory of President Olusegun Obasanjo so that the former Head of State could be completely emasculated from the ANPP arrangement. But a supporter of Bafarawa disagreed with this insinuation, stating that with or without Buhari, the Governor would get the party's ticket if and when he showed interest even though he said there was yet no decision on such ambition.
The planned dissolution of the NEC, according to authoritative sources at the party's National Secretariat, was aimed primarily at ousting Etiebet, whose support for Buhari, is said to have pitched him against some governors who are also positioning themselves ahead of 2007 when their two-term would have expired.
Unveiled in this picture are various sinister motives tailored towards who gets what as far as the 2007 presidential ticket of the party is concerned. A possible game plan of Bafarawa has been a subject of conjectures in and outside of the party circles. Some people believe that he is ready to go the whole hog in the presidential contest while others say that he is only rooting for another aspirant who is not a card-carrying member of the party yet. Bafarawa, it is argued, wants to have control of the party for his unnamed principal who would then come in and use the ANPP as a vehicle to realize his ambition. It is in this regard that some observers hold the view that the Sokoto governor may perhaps be pursuing the interests of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who is widely rumoured to be in the race for Aso Rock in the next dispensation.
But whatever Bafarawa's ultimate ambitions are, his governor colleagues in Kano, Borno, Yobe, and Kebbi seem not to be ready to allow Bafarawa take complete charge of the party. The thinking is that if this is allowed to happen these governors stand the risk of subjugating their political interests under that of their Sokoto counterpart. Buka Ibrahim of Yobe for instance who is spearheading the governors against Bafarawa and who is from the North-east, is believed in some quarters to be positioning himself in a position that will avail his zone a vantage position to angle for the party's ticket in 2007. The thinking is that since both Buhari and Bafarawa are from the North-west, the North-east should not be left with no trump card in the emerging scenarios of 2007. But this again raises questions about the ulterior motives of the Yobe governor with respect to whether or not he also has an eye on the party's ticket. If that becomes a workable option it then leaves the contention for ANPP's ticket between the North-west and North-east zones assuming the flagbearer's position is reserved for the northern part of the country.
Because the stakes are high, the party that has been epileptic since it was routed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2003 elections primarily due to lack of funds, suddenly seems to have enough cash to cause internal trouble for itself. THISDAY checks revealed that a whopping N190 million was allegedly earmarked and released at N5 million per each State Chapter of the party to facilitate the dissolution of the NEC under Etiebet, under the guise of party re-organization. Throughout last week, there were meetings with each group triyng to out-maneuver the other.
For instance, the move to dissolve the executive was halted by a countermove by the Etiebet group which acted faster by expelling Bafarawa, the rallying point of the other group. The National Working Committee (NWC) which Etiebet is believed to be controlling ordered the suspension of Bafarawa for anti-party activities.
In response to the complaint by the Deputy National Welfare Secretary, Alhaji Muhammed Murtala, the NWC on September 8, 2004, resolved that the governor be suspended pending a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) which was to approve his expulsion from the party.
The resolution suspending Bafarawa was signed by the Acting Secretary, Dr. Francis Egu, National Vice Chairman (Northeast) Alhaji Abdulrahaman Adamu, National Publicity Secretary, Nnamdi Olebera, National Youth Leader, Chief A. Nwoga, National Vice Chairman (South-east), National Financial Secretary, Hon. Alfa, National Welfare Secretary, Yemi Sanusi, National Vice Chairman (South-west) Chief Boye Abdullahi, National Vice Chairman (South -south), Chief Douglas Nimgba and the National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet.
The officers who refused to sign the resolution include the National Legal Adviser, Brigadier General B.S. Magashi, Deputy National Chairman (North) General Jeremiah Useni (rtd.), National Auditor, Senator Albert Legogie, National Organizing Secretary, Bala Ibrahim, National Treasurer, Isiyaku Abdullahi and National Women Leader, Hajia Obalowu.
With that, the resolution suspending Bafarawa was signed by nine out of 16 members in the NWC. The resolution suspending Bafarawa reads thus: "His Excellency Attahiru Bafarawa, Governor of Sokoto State is hereby recommended to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party for expulsion from the party for anti-party activities as contained in the complaints letter and other acts inimical to the unity and peaceful existence of the party.
"That His Excellency, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Governor of Sokoto State be hereby suspended from the party with immediate effect until his case is determined by NEC of the party."
The offences against Bafarawa were that he sponsored the collection of signatures from members of the NEC of the party for the dissolution of the Executive Committee led by Etiebet.
Secondly, he was accused of paying the N70 million rents of the National Headquarters of the party in the name of his company. This, the party said, is with the intention of ejecting the party from its present office accommodation. Also, the party accused Bafarawa of not contributing his quota for the upkeep of the party as greed by the NEC of the party.
He was accused of supporting the suspended Cross River State Chairman Mr. Ayuk Ebuka with over N500,000 to upstage Etiebet. Also, he was accused of lobbying National Assembly members to support the dissolution of the Etiebet's executive committee and funding states chairmen to remove the National Executive.
But even while the first coup may have failed, Bafarawa is insisting there will be no peace in the party until Etiebet goes. Indeed, as far as he is concerned Etiebet is no longer the party chairman. But he does not have the last say on the matter.
This is because some of his colleagues are already resisting moves by the Bafarawa group to dissolve the Etiebet led Executive Committee.
The governors said to be opposed to the Bafarawa group are the Kano State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, Modu Sheriff of Borno, Bukka Abba Ibrahim of Yobe and Adamu Aliero of Kebbi. THISDAY learnt that in their meeting Tuesday night, the governors view the Bafarawa group's plot as an attempt to take over the party ahead of the 2007 presidential elections and would not want that.
It was gathered that the governors are of the opinion that any attempt to dissolve the Etiebet executive committee will not present the party in good light and having reached out to Bafarawa without getting positive response, they took the decision to announce a return to status quo.
Sources close to the party said that the Bafarawa group plans to sponsor Ebuka as a replacement to Etiebet and Alhaji Yusuf Ali, the former chairman as a replacement to the chairman Board of Trustees, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu.
The Intrigues
Ayuk Ebuka was suspended for allegedly arranging a special meeting between state chairmen and Special Adviser to the President on Inter Party Relations, Chief Rochas Okorocha. Observers opine that the presidential aide's interest in the ANPP may not be unconnected with surreptitious moves by him to regain some degree of relevance within the party from which he walked out at the convention last December. It is believed that Okorochas' sojourn so far in PDP has not really fetched him the opportunity to pursue his political ambition. He may have realised that ANPP remains the party that can provide him the required platform to achieve his goals.
It was gathered that the opposition of the ANPP governors stopped the complete take-over of the party by the Bafarawa's group.
With the suspension of Bafarawa, his camp plotted a revenge coup, which equally saw to the suspension of Etiebet with his position as National Chairman taken over by Useni who is the Deputy National Chairman, North.
But the coup of the Bafarawa camp was quickly annulled by the national caucus of the party, who threw their support behind Etiebet. Out of the seven governors of the party, six of them (Governors of Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano, Yobe and Borno) have thrown their weight behind the leadership of Chief Don Etiebet as the National Chairman.
Suspending Etiebet as chairman, the chairman of ANPP in Nasarawa State, Senator J.K. Umaru at a press conference said "the National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet, is hereby removed from office as its Chairman and suspended from the party with immediate effect for dereliction of duty, high handedness and anti party activities that has posed as an anathema to the survival of the party."
The Nasarawa State Chairman who said that he was acting on behalf of other chairmen of the party accused Etiebet of unilaterally suspending key members of NEC, five state chairmen, the dissolution of five executive committees and the suspension of the governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa.
According to Umaru "the National Chairman's behaviour to say the least, is tantamount to acts inimical to the growth and popularity of the party as the requisite party organs saddled with responsibility to discipline erring members have been jettisoned or sidelined."
By this resolution, the chairman of Nasarawa State said that they (24 state chairmen) have appointed the National Deputy Chairman (North) as the acting National Chairman pending when the election of a substantive chairman would hold.
He said that all suspensions by Etiebet are hereby declared null and void and others suspended are also recalled. Useni who had spoken earlier said that the action of the National Chairman, Etiebet in suspending Bafarawa was unconstitutional, as "the Chairman has no power to suspend the governor of Sokoto."
Useni also stated that the National Caucus of the party has ordered the reinstatement of the governor of Sokoto and "that of Etiebet if he has been suspended."
According to Useni "two committees headed by the Yobe State Governor, Bukka Abba Ibrahim and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic has been set up for the reconciliation of all aggrieved members."
But when asked by reporters to confirm whether he accepted his new position as the acting National Chairman, Useni said "I'm here as a reconciliatory," saying "we are working towards peace, whether I am right or not is not the issue, what I want to do is to ensure peace."
Later, the 24 state chairmen in a mob style led Useni to the National Secretariat of the party where he was forced to sit on the seat of Etiebet as the acting National Chairman. The Bafarawa Camp also reinstated the suspended chairman, Sani El Katauzu. He was taken to his office and made to assume his former position.
The Bafarawa camp then proceeded to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport to board a chartered aircraft to Sokoto to express solidarity with him over his suspension. They were led by Useni and Senator Sule Yari Gandi from Sokoto State.
As these situations were playing out, the other six governors of the party, were held up in a meeting at the Yobe State Government Lodge with Etiebet and other members of the National Working Committee.
After an over three hours meeting, Etiebet addressed the press.
Flanked both in his left and right by the Six ANPP governors, leader of the ANPP in the Senate, Senator Al Bishir and the leader of the ANPP in the House of Representatives, Hon. Salik Mohammed, Etiebet announced the decision of the national caucus of the party which nullified all suspensions made in the party in the last one month, According to Etiebet "the National Caucus of ANPP at its meeting of September 8, 2004 to consider events and developments of the last one month has resolved as follows:
_ That the leadership of the party led by Chief Don Obot Etiebet remains in tact and is under no threat.
_ That the purported suspension of the executive governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa is nullified and of no effect.
_ That the suspension of the National Secretary, Alhaji Sani El Katuzu is also nullified. He should resume office immediately.
_That the NEC meeting of the party, scheduled for September 9, 2004 is hereby temporarily postponed. A new date will be announced later.
Also adding his voice to the resolution of the crisis, the Yobe State Governor said that he was appointed the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee by the National Caucus and pledged to ensure he will do his best to bring about unity in the party.
According to the Yobe Governor "our Chairman is Chief Don Etiebet. We, as you can see here, are out to ensure that there is peace in this party. Satan came into the party in the last 48 hours, but as you can see, the Satan has been driven away and the party is now united. Umezuoke was sent to Sokoto to convey the national caucus decision to Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa."
Speaking in the same manner, the leader of the party in the Senate, Senator Al Bishir said "agreed that there were conflicts, but as you can see, it has been settled. Politics is about disagreement and agreement. We have the capacity to solve our problem." He was supported by the ANPP leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Salik who said "all bickering stood nullified. Our detractors have been put to shame, their selfish agenda will not succeed."
The Chairman of ANPP in Enugu State, Chief Emeka Enuku also spoke in the same manner, saying that peace has returned to the party.
However, one contradicting issue in entire drama was that the dramatis personae seen at the Bafarawa Camp were also seen in the Etiebet group.
The Secretary of the Party's Board of Trustees, Alhaji Gambo Mogaji, National Secretary, Sani El Katuzu and some of the state chairmen were seen at both camps. What THISDAY gathered in all this power play was that the six ANPP governors are not happy over the planned take over of the party machinery by Bafarawa, hence they threw their weight behind Etiebet.
Buhari's 2007 Chances Amidst the Intrigues...
It is instructive to note that while all these intrigues and horse-trading goes on within the hierarchy of the ANPP, its presidential flagbearer in the 2003, polls, Buhari, is yet in court in a bid to nullify the PDP victory. This clearly shows the serious disunity of purpose and lack of support for Buhari's cause. And this is made worse given the fact that alliances with the circle of governors keep shifting and reshaping as far as the Buhari matter is concerned. Because at the initial stage governors who were said to be strongly behind the former military Head of State seem to be at logger head with him going by the current scenario.
Bafarawa especially, was believed to be a core Buhari man who always displayed that North-west solidarity with him. But that was then as speculations have become rife that the Sokoto governor may have dumped the Buhari cause for either a personal agenda or for another aspirant for whom he is working to hand the party's 2007 presidential ticket to. As things stand, Etiebet appears to be the one prominent ANPP figure protecting the interest of the party's candidate unlike the case in the past when the national chairman was widely believed to have traded Buhari's cause for a new bride. For instance, the bribery allegations once peddled against the Akwa-ibom born politician that he had collected the sum of 10 million naira from Babangida without the knowledge of other members of the party's NEC went a long way to enrich the believe that Buhari had been dumped by the party. It was said then that Etiebet was planning to expel Buhari from the party. The 10 million naira was so rife that Etiebet had cause to react with the aim of dismissing it. "In fact this is the first time I have heard that IBB gave ANPP money and that he donated N10m," Etiebet had said, adding: "I want to state categorically herewith that I was not aware of this donation, when it was done or if it was given to my predecessor in office, Governor Atahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State."
Etiebet had further said that Bafarawa as the chairman of the party's finance committee did not disclose to him whether or not he received any N10m donation from the former military president.
On the alleged plan to expel Buhari from the party, Etiebet had this to say: "This is ironic for I can vow that the sources and instigators of this story are the very people who want the party to disown Buhari and withdraw its supports to him at the court proceedings and General Buhari knows exactly that. If not for me, he knows that his status in the party and the support from the party to him would be history by now."
According to Etiebet "it is interesting to know that the very element who complained against me for my support of Buhari in the party and the courts are now the same people turning to him for his support against me."
He had continued: "Having hit the rock and having been rebuffed by General Buhari, the only straw they have left is this cheap blackmail of alleging my collection of N300m from the Presidency on behalf of the ANPP to run the party's secretariat."
It would also be recalled that as part of the plot in powerful quarters within the party to liquidate Buhari's influence was the dissolution of The Buhari Organization (TBO), the outfit which prosecuted the presidential campaigns of the ANPP candidate. The continued operations of TBO had purportedly clashed with the policy directions of the party's national leadership especially with regards to public statements and official standpoints of the party. Irked by this development, the party hierarchy had wasted no time in clamping down on TBO. According to the former National Secretary El-Katuzi, that "Buhari has the right to form any organization, if he so wishes for the protection of his interest, but the organization or the group cannot speak for the All Nigeria Peoples Party," became the bone of contention publicly.
"The Buhari Organization ceases to exist at the moment General Buhari became the party's presidential candidate and a presidential campaign council formed. That rests the matter," the National Secretary of the party had said with a point of finality which effectively sounded the death knell of TBO.
Another sore point in the relationship of the party hierarchy with Buhari soon emerged with events leading to the mass rally organised by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) months ago, to protest the results of the 2003 elections. It would be recalled that while other parties were mobilizing for the event, the ANPP to the chagrin of Buhari, found it convenient to dissociate itself from the rally. El Katunzu had explained that the party disassociated itself from the May 3 Mass Action, because it felt that the issue was prejudicial as the same matter the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties was agitating was the subject of its court case against the President at the Court of Appeal in Abuja. Good point it may seem but it effectively placed a resounding knock on Buhari in the party.
Peace Overtures?
It was, however, gathered that it was a high-powered committee set up by the ANPP to diagnose a future course for the party under the headship of the Governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, that actually dangled the offer of membership of the party's Board of Trustees (BOT) to both Buhari and the Director General of TBO, Hamma, should they accept the dissolution of the group. However the tension was stabilized somehow as a middle ground position was negotiated for both groups to get out of the crisis.
The Governors' Secret Agenda
To some, the party leadership took the decision to axe the Buhari's TBO following alleged cases of conflicting positions between the TBO and the party on critical national issues. ANPP had indeed attributed its action to what it called the "disparaging and opposing disposition national and party issues between the party and Buhari Organization." A statement jointly signed by the National Chairman, Chief Don Etiebet and the National Secretary, Alhaji Sani El-Katuzu had said that the dissolution of the organisation was based on the outcome of a meeting attended by both Buhari and Hamma. But insiders had revealed that there is more to it than actually meet the eye. According to THISDAY checks the crisis is arising from the battle for 2007 between those loyal to Buhari and those who make up the ANPP governors camp. In fact, it was learnt that most of the governors are jittery that given Buhari's rising profile, especially in the north and the middle belt coupled with an energetic team working for the ANPP presidential candidate ahead of 2007, the former may still emerge as the dominant factor in the party in the 2007 presidential race. Yet, the dominant view among the governors is that while Buhari may be a local champion in the north west, he remains a hard sell nationally. That is why his rising profile within the party is considered dangerous. And to nip this in the bud, the governors who are interested in 2007 having exhausted their two term governorship mandate are said to be working discretely to neutralize Buhari's influence.
Sources reveal that ANPP governors like Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State and Modu Sheriff of Borno State may have their eyes fixed on the party's presidential ticket in 2007 but are worried that with Buhari on the way, it may well be a mere illusion. This crisis of confidence is said to have permeated virtually all the ANPP controlled states.
For instance, Buhari's absence at the bi-centenary of the Sokoto Caliphate which was held in Sokoto, the Sokoto state capital was shocking to many. Interestingly, on that very day of the grand finale of the chain of events, Buhari was in Kastina giving out his daughter in marriage when the date of the centenary celebration had been released since January this year, the implication being that Buhari deliberately fixed his daughter's wedding to coincide with the day. In fact, Buhari's presence at that occasion most political observers believe, would have added a mark of difference to the whole ceremony. It was a large and historic gathering that attracted many dignitaries, including former military president Ibrahim Babangida, President Obasanjo, Vice president Atiku Abubakar amongst others. In fact, for a show that was really being hosted in an ANPP state, if there were no deepening differences within the ranks and file of the party, the party would have made a huge political capital out of the programme.
Any Hope for Truce?
In spite of the seeming truce brokered by some senior members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), there is no certainty that the storm is yet over for the party, which has been in the doldrums after the poor outing of the last general elections and even the March 27 council polls. Embattled Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, who was suspended last week by the Don Etiebet-led National Executive Committee, in a telephone interview, noted that he was neither bothered nor shaken by the "ignorable acts of Etiebet"
He explained that his good intention for the party was being misconstrued by Etiebet, whom he accused of non-performance and lack of political initiative to take the ANPP to greater heights.
Bafarawa who had remained in Sokoto since the crisis broke out, expressed satisfaction that majority of the state chairmen and even members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party are in solidarity with him.
"There are 36 state chairmen plus the FCT and 32 of them are with Jerry (Useni) and out of the 21 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) he (Jerry Useni ) has 16, so why should I be worried?", Bafarawa asked rhetorically.
He contended that Etiebet has very short democratic temper and said chairman's problems stem from this angle.
"He (Etiebet) has no democratic temper, nobody dares argue with him. If you argue or disagree with him today, by tomorrow, you will receive letter of suspension from the party" Bafarawa said asking, "Is he the owner of the party?" The governor also noted that he (Etiebet) has been in the habit of sacking party members who dare to question his acts. "How many people has he brought into the party since he became chairman, and that is why we are saying that if he is sent out, we will not loose anything as a party. In fact, we will not miss him, when he is out."
The duo may have exerted much energy to prove their various strength within the party. While Etiebet has just some five out of the seven governors elected on the platform of the party plus nine members of the National Working Committee out of 21 and six state chairmen, Bafarawa has a pool of 30 state chairmen, and 16 members of the NWC.
It is remarkable that the rank of the ANPP governors who used to enjoy close and warm political affinity has been broken. The Yobe Governor, for instance, has been mobilising Etiebet's supporters against Bafarawa, who used to be the unofficial leader of the party and governors until now.
Indeed, inside sources argue that even the Kebbi Governor, Adamu Aliero, who used to be very close to Bafarawa, began to distance himself from the political turf of latter because of the suspicion that the Sokoto governor may just be using them to build an impregnable political structure against 2007.
Bafarawa is being suspected to be nursing presidential ambition. But he has maintained sealed lips on the suspicion, insisting that he was presently concerned with how to make democracy more and more beneficial to "my Sokoto people who elected me as their governor."
Sources within the party however explained that some of the ANPP governors had been plotting some contrived crisis within the party as an excuse for their planned decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It could not be established over the weekend whether the PDP had a more than passing interest or played any role in the present crisis facing the ANPP.
Bafarawa dismissed the allegation of using his company's name to pay the rent of the party's national secretariat insisting that for three years, he had been paying the rent all by himself without any ulterior motive as alleged by the Etiebet group, which had said the plot is to finally eject the party secretariat from its present accommodation whenever Bafarawa pleases.
But the governor said " I have been paying the rent of the party in the last three years. I paid in year 2002, Year 2003 and this year 2004, and I have all the receipts ad I have shown them to the (state) chairmen".
Asked why he has been paying the rent from his pocket, he quipped "because I do not want our party to die"
The question the Etiebet faction has not been able to address however is why they have been allowing an individual pay the rent of a party secretariat for three consecutive years, and suddenly discovers that there are sinister motives only when there was a disagreement between Etiebet and Bafarawa.
Etiebet is said to have always complained of lack of funds to run the party, a complaint that is not believed in most circles within the party. Those who believe Etiebet should not complain about funds point out that he inherited some N80m from Bafarawa's brief tenure at the party secretariat.
The Etiebet's administration was to further receive some N110m from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) making a total of N190 million, which is said to have been unaccounted for by the administration.
His alleged poor attitude to accountability and intolerance to questions about finances only worsened the impression party members had on him. But two months ago, when he spoke to THISDAY from London, he had noted that the party's financial books were open for scrutiny by anybody adding that indeed, an audit firm was looking into the party's books at the time. But inside sources note that the INEC auditors had indicted the Etiebet-led NWC on its finances.
So why did he not pay the rents of the secretariat and allowed Bafarawa to be paying all these past three years?
One other quarrel the Bafarawa group has against Etiebet is his alleged lack-lustre attitude to running the party. He has been accused of too frequent travels outside the country thus holding up a number of actions of the party. Beside, he is said to have called only one National Executive meeting since he came into office.
"He does not call meetings, there is no forum that meets to discuss anything, all he does is take actions whimsically after discussing with his band of few loyalists" But Etiebet in that interview (from London) had said that all organs of the party are in place and "meet at all the times they ought to meet."
Bafarawa who assumed the headship of the party in 2002 as an Interim National Chairman, helped to significantly reposition the party for the 2003 polls. That was the period so many people flocked into the party, and for a while, the ruling PDP sensed some threat and raw challenge. He was indeed the National Chairman at the time former Kwara Governor, Mohammed Lawal, one who organised the national convention of the party that threw up Etiebet as the National Chairman of the party.
His (Bafarawa) understanding of the capabilities of Etiebet at the time may have been wrong, going by his present disposition on the party's chairman.
Managing to conceal his anger over "this nonsense" (the suspension saga) Bafarawa said the crisis will help to position the party well at the end of the day stressing that "it's a good beginning and I know that it will make us stronger as a party at the end of it all."
The Charges Against Etiebet
This is the moment for sober reflection of our gains and losses as a party for the heavy task ahead, this is the time to "call a spade a spade" and to "take the bull by the horn," in fact this is the moment of truth.
We cannot continue to pretend that all is well with our great party (ANPP), when recent events prove otherwise.
Fellow party members, history will not vindicate nor forgive us, if we do not take the right decision at the right time in this moment of crises to stop Chief Don Etiebet and his group. We must not forget that, one of the fundamental essence of this party is to maintain and foster representative democracy, discipline, the strict observance of the rule of law in this fe
|
